National Signing Day: Rutgers quiet as original NSD loses luster

Rutgers head coach Chris Ash reacts on the sideline in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Tony Ding)(Photo: Tony Ding, AP)

Ash said the theory behind the whole thing was that, when kids commit, they've been committed for a long time, so let them sign early. This, compared to having kids sign on the first Wednesday in February, dubbed National Signing Day and celebrated as something of a holiday by fan bases.

This is where Ash nailed it. Instead of that theory actually happening, Dec. 20 turned into the new National Signing Day. Case in point, Rutgers signed 18 high school prospects kids on Dec. 20. A 19th, 6-foot-4 safety Malik Dixon, committed just after the New Year out of Eastern Arizona Junior College.

On Wednesday, on what used to be National Signing Day, Rutgers received just one National Letter of Intent from 6-foot-4 three-star Swedish defensive end Robin Jutwreten.

"There was a tremendous amount of pressure, which there always is, for coaches to go sign the best players that they can sign today," Ash said Dec. 20. "I know there's a signing period between today, Thursday and Friday. I don't think anyone was looking at it being a period. It was, 'This is Signing Day,' and that's what it became.

"And there will still be players signed in February, but I think when you look at it, the pressure for coaches to go get the best players they can today, that happened. That was created over the course of time. That wasn't the theory behind having an early signing period."

With his December haul already signed, and with Jutwreten now on board, Ash's 2018 class is ranked 52nd nationally and 13th in the 14-team Big Ten according to scout, and 54th nationally and 13th in the Big Ten according Rivals.

Both of those figures are down from 2017, when Ash's class included three four-star recruits in offensive lineman Micah Clark, wide receiver Bo Melton and linebacker Tyshonn Fogg.

Nunzio Campanile hiring made official

After news broke Monday that Ash would hire Bergen Catholic head coach Nunzio Campanile as his running backs coach, Rutgers made that move official on Wednesday afternoon.

The move is considered a shrewd one as Campanile's presence could be huge in terms of recruiting North Jersey.

“I’d like to welcome Nunzio Campanile to our staff," Ash said in a press release. “During our two years here, I have watched him work and witnessed his passion for the game. He has great relationships with his players and great respect from people all across this state. I look forward to having him help us move our program forward.”

With Campanile coaching the running backs, that moves Lester Erb, that position's previous coach, to wide receivers. Erb replaces Jafar Williams, who left Piscataway earlier this month to be the running backs coach at his alma mater, Maryland.